Block-signaling system.



PATENI'ED JULY 18, 1905.

J. 0. BOHANNAN. BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. a. 1905.

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No. 795,190. PATENTBD JULY 18, 1905. J. 0. BOHANNAN. BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1905.

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ANDREW n cwuum 0 Hmwnxnummt v/mmcvoua c PATENTED JULY 1a, 1906.

J. 0. BOHANNAN. BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOH rum MB. a, 1905.

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NTTED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT BLOCK-SIGNALING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 795,190, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed March 8, 190 5.

To a wit/m) 11/; TIMLZ/ concern.-

.Be it known that I, JOHN O. BoHANNoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at .l-Iorton, in the county of Marshall, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Block-Signaling Systems; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to block-signaling systems for railways.

One object of the invention is to improve generally the method or means of automatically displaying cautionary signals to those in charge of locomotive or other traveling vehicles.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the display of cautionary signals for the purpose stated without associating the mechanism of any of the parts thereof with switches or stations.

Another object of the invention is to insure against head-on or rear-end collisions of trains, each train automatically setting the signal of presence or safety to the next train following in its path.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a signaling apparatus wherein the public will be notified of an approaching train and the attendants of another train upon one track will be notified whether or not a train is in the block.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings. and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a block-signaling system embodying my invention, parts being broken away and. parts beingshownin section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the first or Serial No. 249,140.

third signal-stand and its adjunctive parts. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the intermediate signal-stand and its adjunctive parts. Fig. t is a detail perspective view of the latch mechanism disposed at the front and rear of the block system, the adjunctive parts being also associated with the said mechanism". Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the sliding rack-bars, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the connecting-rod arranged between the sliding elements of the signaling instruments.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, it will be observed that a series of track instruments are arranged in spaced relation along the side of a track, all of which are preferably arranged upon separate base-pieces 1, as shown.

Arranged upon one side and secured in any suitable manner to the first base-piece is an upright 2, and directly opposite thereto is located a signal-stand, comprising the upright 3, having a portion 4 secured in any suitable manner at its upper end and directed inwardly toward but terminating considerably short of the upright 2 and then directed downwardly, as at 5, to a point slightly above the said baseboard 1. The said signal-stand is composed of wood, metal, or any other suitable material and has a perforation 6 in its portion 4: for a purpose presently explained.

A rack-bar 7 is arranged upon the base 1, the same being provided with a series of teeth 8 throughout the greater portion of its upper surface and with a series of teeth 9, formed upon one of its sides, as shown. This rackbar may be made of metal or any other suitable material and is arranged for sliding movement upon the base 1 between suitable guides J ournaled in the upper ends of the standards 2 and 3 is a rock-shaft 11, having an arm 12 secured upon its outer end for a purpose presently understood, and upon this rockshaft, between the said standards, is fixedly secured a segmental gear 13, whose teeth 1-1 are designed to mesh with the teeth upon the upper face of the sliding rack-bar 7.

Journaled in the perforations 6, of the portion t of the signal-stand alluded to and in the base 1 is a vertical shaft 15, carrying a pinion 16 at its lower end for mesh with the said teeth 9, formed upon the side of the rackbar. This vertical shaft projects above the portion 4 of said signal-stand and is designed to carry a signal 17 at its upper end, the shaft and its signal being shifted or turned through the instrumentality of the rack-bar in its sliding movement meshing with the aforesaid pinion 16, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. This signal may be in the form of a card, flag, or any other sig naling-indicator.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, there are three main instruments to each set of my improvement, and as the third instrument is an exact duplicate of the first instrument hereinbefore described it seems entirely unnecessary to enter into a detailed explanation of the said third instrument. However, since the second or intermediate instrument is somewhat different in form and arrangement from the structures of the first and third instruments it is deemed expedient and neeessary to describe the same minutely, and

therefore it should be observed that the second or intermediate signaling instrument comprises two oppositely-disposed standards 18 and 19, arranged upon opposite sides of the second base-piece 1, the standard 19 being considerably higher than the standard 18 and having a laterally-directed portion 20, there being a vertical shaft 21 journaled in the said portion 20 and the base-piece.

Journaled in the uprights 18 and 19 is a rock-shaft 22, having a sector-wheel 23 fixedly mounted thereupon between the standards, there being an arm 24 secured upon the outer end of the said shaft 22, which is fixedly secured thereto and which is similar in form to the arm 12 of the aforesaid rock-shaft 11, both of said arms having their upper ends rounded for a purpose presently appreciated. The inner end of the rock-shaft 22 is provided with a segment-gear 24, having teeth 25 for mesh with the teeth 26, formed in the upper face of the second rack-bar 27, which latter is slidably mounted between the strips 28, which form a guide therefor, there being a break in one of the strips of the said guide to form a space for the location and to permit of the rotation of the pinion 29, fixedly mounted upon the aforesaid vertical shaft 21,

which pinion meshes with the teeth in the side of the said rack-bar 27 and whereby the signal of the intermediate stand is operated.

Between the standards 18 and 19 and immediately beneath the sector-wheel 23 is a slide 31, arranged for longitudinal movement within the guide formed by the members 32 and 33. Secured to one side face of the sectorwheel 23 in any suitable manner, as at 34, is a belt, chain, or the like 35, which extends beneath the rounded surface of the said wheel and is secured in any suitable manner to the right-hand end of the slide 31, there being another strap, chain, belt, or the like 36 secured to the opposite side of the sector-wheel,

with its opposite ends secured in any suitable and third signaling-stands are not in direct alinement with the toothed rack-bar of the second signaling-stand, the rack-bar of the latter being offset to one side of said alinement and the slide 31 being in direct alinement with the first and third rack-bars. It might be also stated at this time that since the intermediate signal performs a functionsomewhat different from that of the end signalingstands it may be expedient to employ aseries of stands to perform the function of the stand herein referred to as the intermediate one, in which event of course it would simply be necessary to connect the slides 31 of the intermediate. stands to the sliding rack-bars of the end stands. 9

The sliding rack-bars'7 of thefirst and third signal stands are each connected to the corresponding opposite ends of the slide 31 of the second or intermediate signaling-stand by means of the connecting rods, bars, or thelike 37, which are preferably detachabl y and ad justably connected to the said sliding elements by means of the thumb-bolts 38 or other suitable means workingin the perforation 37 and slot 37 of the rack-bars and the connecting-rod or the like, respectively.

Secured in any suitable manner to the outer ends of the sliding rack-bars 7 are springs 39 or other suitable means, having their opposite ends secured to the short posts or the like 40. These springs are designed to reset the mechanism when a train has left the block.

Standards 40 and 41 are secured in front of the first and in the rear of the third signalingstands, they being designed to support mechanism for holding the signals normally locked, and as the mechanism is the same at each end of the block it is thought that a description of the one in front of the first signal-stand will suffice for a complete understanding of this part of the invention. In these standards and at the upper ends thereof is loosely journaled a horizontal rock-shaft 42, having one of its ends projecting outwardly beyond the outer side of the standard 40 to a point even with the outer end of the aforesaid hori- Zontal shaft 11 and to which end is fixedly secured the arm 43. A second rock-shaft 44 is journaled in these standards and carries a latch-bar 44, having a hooked end 45 designed to normally engage the notch 46 in the outer end of the corresponding sliding rackbar. The arm 43 is designed to remain normally in a vertical position, there being a spring 47 secured thereto and to the corresponchng base-piece 1 for th1s purpose; but

when the arm 13 is forced downwardly, as will be hereinafter fully explained, the abutment 48, carried by the said rock-shaft 42, engages the curved back 49 of the said latchbar 41 1 and lifts it out of engagement with the said-notch of the rack-bar, permitting thelatter to slide freely.

Of course the locking mechanism may be unlocked at either end of the block, there being a locking mechanism arranged at each end of the latter, as shown.

While it is stated herein that there are three main instruments to each set of signaling apparatus, I do employ a fourth instrument connected-up with either one of the end instruments of the said set and arrange the said fourth instrument near the depot or station, the same being preferably connected up in any suitable manner to the first stand or instrument and designed to signal the operator or others about the depot or station. Of course it is obvious from this specification that the connection between this fourth instrument and the main set of instruments may be in the form of a link, bar, or the like of a construction and arrangement as that arranged between the intermediate and end stands or instruments of the set. This fourth stand need not be provided with an arm for contact by the projection of the locomotive, as is true in connection with the other instruments, the signal of the fourth instrument being operated by the set of instruments and simply for the convenience and warning of those about a depot, station, or other point.

Now that I believe I have described the details of my invention fully I shall endeavor to explain its operation, which is as follows: As my invention is particularly applicable to railway signaling apparatus, I will state that when a train is approaching a curve, crossing, station, or other point the locomotive, which carries a projecting arm or other element, (the locomotive and said arm being notillustrated,) has the said armor element so arranged with the signaling apparatus that it engages the arm 43 upon the rock-shaft 42, causing the abutment 48 to contact with the latch-bar44, disengaging the latter from its notch 46in the first rack-bar, so that when the arm of the locomotive reaches the arm 12 on the shaft 11 it causes the latter to rock, which in turn by reason of its segmental gear causes the rackbar 7 of the first stand to slide in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the train, the toothed side of said rack-bar causing the pinion in mesh therewith to rotate the vertical shaft 15, thereby displaying a signal to the effect that a train is in the blockthat is to say, is approaching a crossing, station, curve, or other point in closeproximity. It will thus be understood that as soon as the train operates the signal at the first stand the intermediate and end signals are also operated to display signals, the connections between the slide 31 of the intermediate signal-stand and the rack-bars of the remaining signalstands causing all slides or rack-bars to be pulled forwardly simultaneously when the first signal-stand is operated by the train, it being understood, of course, that the projecting arm (not shown) secured to the locomotive is located in advance of the forward wheels of the latter, and since the train causes the said slides and bars to be forced rearwardly in the direction of travel thereof it is obvious that the train will hold the signals to view until the train has passed the third or end stand, when by reason of the spring or other connections 39 between the outer ends of the end rack-bars and the short posts 40 the signals will be returned to their normal position. that if a train should enter the block from the opposite direction-that is to say, should contact first with the third signaling-stand instead of the firstthe same signaling effect would be manifest. It should be understood that the springs 39 just alluded to are of such tension as to counterbalance the pull thereby in either direction upon the rack-bars. By this arrangement of signaling a warning is given to those along the track that a train is approaching; but this is not all, for by reason of the aforesaid described connections between the rack-bars of the first and second stands and the slide 31 of the intermediate stand a train approaching from the opposite direction is warned by the signal of the third stand, which latter signal has been set as soon as the signal of the first stand is displayed, thereby avoiding a head-on collision. Moreover, since the signal of the first stand is not dropped or shifted until the train in the block has left the third stand, it is obvious that a train following closely behind the train within the block will be warned of the possibility of a rear-end collision. In other words, say, for instance, we have a run of thirty minutes to make in the block and that the first train in the block passes the first stand, thus operating all the other signals in the same block, giving a white or other signal for a through run, it being understood that the signals are turned across the railroad-track, or, in other words, at a direct right angle thereto, warn ing an approaching train at the other end of the presence of an oncoming train. Suppose, now, that twenty minutes of train No. 1 has been consumed and another train, which we will designate as train No. 2, Wishes to enter the block at the same point that train No. 1 entered. Since train No. 1 has not left the block, the signals, of course, are still in effect ive operation; but the train No. 2, in view of the White or other signals, enters the block, realizing, of course, that there is a train immediately ahead and going in the same direction. has expired and train No. 1 has left the block, thus unlocking all signals behind, leaving Supposing now that the thirty minutes.

It will be understoodw them standing in alinement with the track, train No. 2 will come in contact with the arm of the intermediate stand, performing the same work-that is, displaying the sign alsas train No. 1 did when it first entered the block. Thus the intermediate stands must be placed close enough to permit train No. 2 to contact with it before any train can switch and get on the main line of same block where train No. 1 left the latter. Hence we see the advantage of the intermediate stand and also the manifest reason for employing more than one intermediate stand in certain blocks. It might be stated also that if another train, which we will designate as train No. 3, should start to enter the block where train No. 1 left the latter after train No. 2 has turned danger-signals, it is obvious that those in charge of trains Nos. 2 and 3 will realize that their trains have run into danger, the train No. 2 being warned at some intermediate stand, for train 'No. 3 when it enters the block will unlock and turn all the signals, one of the trains in such event backing to prevent a collision.

While I have not illustrated in the drawings, it is to be understood that in practice I will, especially at night-time or in foggy weather, associate with the signaling-stands suitable incandescent or other lights or lamps for the purpose of displaying the signals. I desire it still further understood that, if desired, I may associate all of the elements herein mentioned with ball, roller, or other suitable bearings to permit of their free and easy rotation or other movement. It is thought entirely unnecessary to illustrate the ball, roller, or other bearing feature, for said provision is indeed very obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. It should be understood also that, if desired, I may em-' ploy not only a cautionary signal on the vertical stands or shafts of the signaling instruments for the attention of the railway attendants, but I may also mount upon each of said shafts a separate signal for warning pedes-' trians of the approach of a train. It is to be understood also that my instruments are not connected up in any manner with track-switching elements.

In view of the fact that bridges sometimes give Way for different reasons-such as old age, much heavy traflic, or burningI have found that trains may be readily warned of the destruction of a bridge by the employment of a weight attached to the bridge or trestle, the bridge or trestle and the said Weight being connected in any suitable manner to any one or all of the sliding elements of the instruments, so that if the bridge or trestle should fall the weight falling with it will cause the signals to be turned, giving warning of danger to an approaching train. It is thought that this association of the Weight with the bridge and the signaling instruments is so obvious in view of the foregoing that illustration is entirely unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a block-signaling system, the combination with a plurality of track instruments, of a plurality of block-signaling posts associated with the instruments, each post carrying a means for the warning of danger, a sliding element associated with each instrument, means for holding the sliding elements in locked position, and means'for automatically shifting the sliding elements simultaneously.

2. In a block-signaling system, the combination with a plurality of track instruments, of a vertical shaft associated with each instrument, a sliding element associated with the end instruments, each of said elements provided with a toothed upper surface and a toothed surface upon one of its sides, asliding element associated with the intermediate signaling stand, connections between the elements of the end and intermediate stands, a second sliding element associated with the intermediate stand and provided with a toothed upper surface and teeth upon one of its sides, a segmental gear associated with each of the aforesaid toothed sliding elements, a sector- Wheel associated with the first-mentioned slide of the intermediate signaling-stand, signaling elements associated with the said vertical shafts of each signal-stand, and means constructed and arranged whereby the signals of each signal-stand may be operated automat- ,ically.

JOHN o. BOI-IANNON.

WVitnesses:

JAMES M. BOHANNON, WILL R. LOYD. 

